Sunday 2 January 2011

Reminiscing.


First of all may I wish you all a Very Happy New Year. You will be wondering why I have decided to put my picture at the top instead of something witty or topical well the reason is I have lost everything on my PC and this is the only one I have left. I switched off as normal a couple of days and the next morning it said I was logged on as a temporary user and nothing get saved so I had to take a new identity out on the pc. Don't know what happened if anybody has any ideas I would love to hear them.
I was thinking this morning about New Year in Scotland when I was a young. It was such a big occasion full of traditions, all the cleaning of old years dirt, you don't dare empty you rubbish
bins on the 1st it's very bad luck, you never enter a house without a small gift, you never leave by a different door than the one you came in, you had to be dark haired to be a first foot and you sorted that out before the person answered the door. Even if you we going home you would always knock at the door (that is if somebody was home). It seems such a pity that all those traditions are going to be lost now with the advent of big street parties in Edinburgh etc firework displays and so on. We had such fun going from house to house this persons mum and dad someone's auntie and uncle, friends and neighbours the list was endless and took a few days to complete, and in to the bargain we walked most to the time with a planned route taking the bus to the furthest away one and working your way back home very exhausting but great fun.
When I was a child I used to listen to all the people coming from Dundee city square after bringing in the New Year there where they used to fire off ONE rocket to mark the time. I would hear everyone calling Happy New Year as they passed one another in the street. One great gift in Dundee for a first foot was a Kipper dressed up with a dress and hat on if you don't know what a Kipper is give it a google as it is to hard to explain. This year I have not seen a soul or had a phone call and its now tea time on the 2nd how times have changed.
Will have to get out with my camera and sort out the no pictures scenario, fortunately I do have some on a memory stick so all is not lost.
I think that's about it for today so till next time take care. Love Joan.

12 comments:

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

It's always nice to see your lovely smile. I enjoyed seeing you there today. Computers are a mystery to me. I'm not good at sorting any of it out so I'm no help to you. Glad you had some backed up. Happy New Year!

Jean said...

Happy New Year! Joan you are a lovely lady.Take care, jean

Sybil said...

What a start to the New Year Joan with your computer playing up...do hope someone will come up with the knowledge on how to regain everything....meanwhile I do like your new heading !! Yes it is all change now bringing in the New Year as you said we used to have such fun in the ..good old days !!...in our village we were always woken up by the sound of the brass band marching up and down all the streets the music getting less and less...musical...as the men were stopped so often for the "wee dram"
We used to go to friends for at least the first three nights of the New Year... Aye Happy Days..
Love sybil xx
PS never ever have I heard about the kippers LOL

Jan said...

What lovely memories Joan ,so many things, traditions etc are being lost now ,only to be remembered by our generation Im afraid ,A guid New Year to you and Stuart ...love Jan xx

Kath said...

The Rooster and I were only discussing the same thing New Years Eve Joan.Though we ourselves do still do some of the Old Traditions as I won't let them die I am afraid.Even though I wasn't well I had someone to call on us after midnight woth dark hair and I put my silver coin out in the moonlight and a pce of coal He-He don't know if you have heard that one.It's an old South Yorkshire tradition.trying to keep it going for my Parents.Sorry to learn about your Computer sounds like a virus has wiped your hard drive to me.Love the new picture what a pretty face you have.I'll say Goodnight now and Godbless thankyou for all your messages much appreciated.I don't feel as lonely now Rooster has gone back home for work.he has been here two weeks,but I a afraid work calls now..Take Care God Bless Kath.

Unknown said...

Yes it is a pity it has all gone and my children know nothing of it.

Still times change and always have I guess.

I'm so sorry about your computer. IT was problems like that drove me away from Windows to Apple.

Angie said...

I once, ages ago, thought something was badly up with my computer. I did what I always do in a crisis: turned it off and didn't touch it again for a week. Then I tentatively switched on again "just to see" and there it all was, back again. Mind you, I was with AOL then and strange things were always happening!

Happy New Year. I used t love the northern traditions which were passed through my Geordie dad but, as you say, it's almost impossible for those things to survive now.

Hollie said...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Julie said...

Computers drive me crazy, I can never sort them out. Glad you had your photos backed up. I really miss our old traditions also and really enjoyed reading about yours. Happy New Years.

Missie said...

I would be so upset if I lost all the pictures on my PC. I have a photobucket acct and I upload all my pictures to photobucket. That way, if my computer crashes, I don't lose my pictures. Check it out.

Happy Belated New Year!

Jeanie said...

That's a new one on me about the kippers' Joan.
I well remember the parties that took days to end when I was a wee girl in Glasgow. I also remember the 'auld traditions' too. Such a shame that folks don't follow them in the same way now.
Can't help you with your computer problem I'm afraid.
Happy New Year to you both.

Jeanie xxx

Jeannette said...

Happy new year Joan and Stuart. I hope you can sort the computer out. Sometimes just turning it off for a few days and unplugging everything does the trick. Yes, all the old traditions are dying out now, such a shame. When I was young we only had fireqworks on Bonfire night, now we get them all year round here. Jeannette xxxx

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